Sailors participted in Line-crossing ceremony, which sailors were considered 'Polly wogs' prior to their maiden voyage across the equator. Once they across they were initiated as 'shellbacks.' Many sailors depicted are wearing long fake white...

Interview conducted by Eileen Hurst. Albert D’Amico was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943, but because he was too thin, they would not accept him, and sent him back home to New Britain, Ct. However, he found that the Navy would accept him, and...

Interview conducted by Jeanne Christie. Albert C. Stewart was drafted into the U.S. Navy in 1945, after graduating from the University of Chicago. He went to the Great Lakes Naval Training Station and was one of a select group of African American...

Interview conducted by Lynette Yeomans. Anthony Buemi was drafted into the U.S. Army in September of 1944. He completed his basic training at Fort McClellan, AL, which lasted for 15 weeks, two weeks shorter than previously required. The shorter...

Interview conducted by Jim Lyko. Audrey Lyons grew up in Brooklyn, NY, and began working at the Brooklyn Navy Yard during World War II. She graduated high school in 1941 and began attending Brooklyn College in September of that year. In...

Interview conducted by Jim Lyko. Barry Fulford was eight years old when England declared war on Germany. He lived in London, England at the time, and his neighborhood was one of many that was continuously attacked during the London Blitz. The...

Interview conducted by Joshua Randorf. Benjamin Walker enlisted in the U.S. Navy in June of 1944. He went to basic training at the Sampson Naval Training Center. After he completed basic, he was sent to advanced training at Camp Endicott in...

Interview conducted by Jim Lyko. Caleb Penniman enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force just after graduating high school in 1943. Since he was found to be color blind, he was unable to be a pilot, but was accepted to be part of a B-24 crew. He went...

Interview conducted by Michelle Hannon. Constance Sullivan Collins Cain joined the WAVES, a branch of the U.S. Navy, in 1944 at the age of 20. She went to basic training at Hunter College in New York City, where the women underwent the rigors of...

Interview conducted by Vincent Roche. Donald Martin was drafted into the U.S. Navy in the spring of 1944. He went to Bainbridge, MD for basic training, and then received an addition 12 weeks of specialized training as a navy hospital corpsman. ...

Interview conducted by Pamela J. Zigmunds. Dorothy Evarts worked for the civil service branch of the U.S. Navy. She and her husband worked and lived on the Naval base in Oahu, Hawaii. She describes island life at this time, including the insects...

Interview conducted by Gregg Cerosky. Edwin Lavitt joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943. He joined because of a sense of duty to his country. He went to Nashville, Tenn. for basic training, and then went to Montgomery, Ala. for pre-flight...

Interview conducted by Allison Kinard. Elliott Gardner was drafted into the U.S. Army on May 7th, 1944. He went to basic training at Fort Dix, NJ and then had additional training in communications at Fort Garden, GA and Fort Campbell, KY. He was...

Interview conducted by Jane Natoli. Enzo Edward Orio joined the U.S. Army in 1944. He went to basic training at Camp Polk, La. On Thanksgiving Day of 1944, Orio’s unit shipped over to England. From there they were transferred to Le Havre,...

Interview conducted by Jeanne Christie. Ethel Smith joined the U.S. Army Nurse Corps in 1944 while she was working at Orange Memorial Hospital. Her parents were upset that she had joined, but she felt that she wanted to explore the world, and...

Interview conducted by Mike Devin. Francis Long enlisted in the United States Navy in 1943. He went to Newport, RI for basic training, and then was transferred to Norfolk, VA, while his crew waited for their ship to be finished. Long describes...